Double lock type electrical connectors, for example, for electrically wiring cars, have been widely used. The double lock type connector is provided with a resiliently deformable lance in a contact-retaining passage of a connector housing, and a locking member joined by a hinge to the connector housing. Therefore, when an electrical contact, one end of which is connected to a wire, is inserted into the contact-retaining passage, the contact is retained in the passage by the lance, which engages with a shoulder of the contact by a resilient force of the lance, and is locked in the passage by the locking member. Thus, the contact is maintained within the passage. Further, the locking member has a locking projection, which engages the shoulder of the contact by projecting into the contact-retaining passage through an opening of the housing. Thus, the contact is double locked and retained in the passage. Accordingly, since the contacts are securely retained in the passages by this double-locking arrangement, this connector is widely used for wiring harnesses which may be affected by a pulling force, for example, the wiring harness of a car.
In the above double lock connector, when the contacts are locked and retained by the locking member, the contacts are locked and retained by the locking projection inside the contact-retaining passage of the housing when the locking member is moved to a closed position. At this time, it is necessary to retain the locking member in the locking position. Therefore, latching sections on the locking member and housing of the known connector, hold the locking member in the locking position by these latching sections being engaged when the locking member is moved to the locking position. Thus, the locking member is latched and retained by the housing.
However, when the contacts are arranged vertically in two rows in the housing, sometimes the locking members are located at both sides of the housing. In this case, each locking member must be latched with the housing to be retained in the locking position. Thus, since the contacts used for the wiring of, for example, a car are very small and the connector housing is also small, it is difficult to manufacture such a small housing having the latching sections on both locking members respectively, because the latching sections must also be small. Further, a problem arises in that this latching arrangement may be incomplete and apt to be unlatched if the size of the latching sections is small.